Page 63 of Tell Me Again

And because I’m so fucking in love with him.

Maybe that’s why this has been so difficult. And maybe that’s why my heart’s still beating so fast and why I find myself sliding my arms around his waist again, pulling him close to me.

“You . . . said you love me?”

He nods, and his eyes soften. “I do. I always have. Always.”

And that’s enough. That’s enough, and I’m sure, and I know. And shit, I’m so in love.

“Me too. Fuck, I . . . Me too.”

I stop trying to make sense of everything, and I lean in just as he stretches up to meet me. Our lips crush together in a different kind of kiss, one that doesn’t hide anything. It’s desire and love and need and fucking everything else, all at once.

And it’s fucking brilliant.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Josh

I think I lost my shoes in the living room and then my shirt in the hallway, and by the time Coop and I make it to the bedroom, his fingers are working to unbuckle my belt, all while his lips continue to ravage mine.

“Mmm, can... can I?” he asks between kisses as he tugs my belt out of the belt loops and tosses it somewhere. The backs of my knees hit the edge of his bed.

“Can you what?”

His fingers tease under the waistband of my jeans in a silent question as he starts to trail open-mouthed kisses along my jawline. God, it feels so good. Yes, please.

“Mm-hmm, yeah, yeah.” I groan as he continues kissing down my neck, doing that same thing he did earlier where he stops and sucks on my skin at every kiss.

I feel him smile against me, and it only makes me want him more. My hands thread up into his hair as he starts to slowly unbutton and unzip my pants. He’s not hesitant, but he’s methodical and careful, which is a pretty huge contrast to the chaotic way we’d gotten to the bedroom. After he’s got the zipper all the way down, and my heart’s beating so hard he can probably hear it, he straightens back up, brings both hands to frame my face, and kisses me.

Slowly.

Damn, if he’s going to do everything slowly, I’m not sure how long I’ll survive.

It’s some incredible feeling, and it’s even better now—now that I know how much he wants this, how much he wants us. Now that I know he missed me as much as I missed him. Now that I know he loves me.

I slip my arms around his waist and underneath his T-shirt—reminding me that he’s still much too overdressed. And there’s this shiver, like a thrill of anticipation and desire and want, that rushes me.

“Ah, fuck, Josh, that’s—” He groans as my hands wander up his back and then around to his chest.

“I want to see you,” I say, my voice thick with emotion, and he nods, steps back a bit, and pulls his T-shirt off over his head in one smooth motion.

God, he’s perfection. Just incredible. Hard muscles, smooth skin, and a happy trail that I really, really want to follow lower. My whole body seems to buzz in agreement.

I reach out and set my hands on his stomach, and god, yeah—he’s solid and strong. Damn. I want to kiss and taste every inch of his gorgeous body. His muscles quiver under my touch, and I tear my eyes away from where my hands are now exploring his chest to look up at his face. His eyes are screwed shut, and he’s biting his lower lip, and when I let my fingertips brush deliberately—and slowly—over his nipples, he lets out a short breath and drops his chin to his chest.

“You like that?”

He laughs and shakes his head. “Fuck, I’m almost sad you even have to ask. It’s fucking incredible. All of this.”

Now it’s my turn to laugh, and I’m also nodding. Because, yeah, I totally agree.

“I think it’ll get better.” I lean in and kiss his neck. “I think it’ll get much better.”

My thumbs tease him again. And god, his nipples are stiffer now. He moans, and the sound goes straight to my dick. It’s throbbing and hard and unfortunately still confined in my pants, which are unfortunately still on.

“Mmm, why are your pants still on?” he says, echoing my own thoughts.

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